Friday, June 26, 2015

We visited Ankara – 28 Apr




Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and the second largest city in the country after Istanbul. It is located at the heart of both Turkey and Central Anatolia. The population is around 4.5 million. 

Ankara is the administrative center of Turkey and is a huge university town, so it has a large population of government workers and university students. As the national capital, Ankara is home to a large population of foreign diplomats and embassy staff, so it offers goods and services that might be more difficult to find in other Turkish cities.

After a short flight from Istanbul we arrived in Ankara. The tour operators intentionally break the 800Km journey from Istanbul to Kaysri due East by making a short halt at Ankara. From a tourist angle there is very little to see except the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Anitkabir Museum. 

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

Some of us were extremely glad that we visited the museum. The superb Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is the perfect introduction to the complex weave of Turkey's ancient past, housing artifacts cherry-picked from just about every significant archaeological site in Anatolia.

The central room houses reliefs and statues, while the surrounding hall displays exhibits from Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Assyrian, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian and Lydian periods. Downstairs are classical Greek and Roman artefacts and a display on Ankara's history.

The museum is beautifully planned and a treat to walk through. There are life sized exhibits of the oldest periods of history. It showcases cavemen in their natural habitat.  

Anitkabir

There after we proceeded to ‘Anitkabir’ the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. It is an extremely imposing memorial, matching the towering stature of Ataturk. Situated on top of a hill the monument commands a panoramic view of the surroundings.



We thereafter proceeded to Cappadocia by bus.





Figure 1 – All the pretty ladies






Figure 2 -  The day in the life of Neanderthals






Figure 3 -  An exhibit showcasing the Old Stone Age or the Palaeolithic Age 

 



Figure 4 - A view of the Museum Hall with its unique collection of Anatolian artifacts





Figure 5  A necklace said to have belonged to Cleopatra





Figure 6  - Cleopatra’s earrings





Figure 7 A bronze artifact - Stag statuette, symbol of a Hittite male god





Figure 8 - Mysterious figures and stone carved lions at the museum





Figure 9  The Fertility goddess with her full figured form depicting plenty




Figure 10 - A cauldron used for religious purposes or for cooking




Figure 11 - Pottery




Figure 12 - Animal figures





Figure 13 - The inlaid table from Tumulus MM, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara.




Figure 14 - Outside the museum - exact replica of monument from Fasıllar





Figure 15 - A profusion of flowers, a constant in beautiful Turkey




Figure 16 – Time for photo op





Figure 17 - ‘Anitkabir’ the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk





Figure 18 – View from the mausoleum 





Figure 19 – With the guard





Figure 20 – Change of guard





Figure 21 – KM and Sudhi with a very tall guard 





Figure 22 – Inside the museum – a painting depicting a naval battle scene





Figure 23 – Imposing portrait of Kemal Ataturk.  Ataturk’s motto “Peace at home and peace abroad”







Figure 24 – A mural depicting their leader





Figure 25 – Extent of the mausoleum